Just broke untouched ground - middlebuster

[mroe21877]

yesterday i broke up a 100x50 (about) area with the yellow version of TSC's middlebuster on my BX1860. I was concerned about the fit but its perfect - in fact I am confused as to why an XB version even exists. The ground that is to become the garden was basically just part of the side lawn so its been mowed as such for 17+ years by the former owner - we just moved in a little over a year ago.

I cannot decide if I want to till or disc - not sure if a disc would even do it. The ground is teeming with worms but is still compacted pretty badly - i suppose from years of mowing and never being broken. On one hand id like to maintain the wormy environment but I dont think it is suitable for growing. Plus i dont know if a disc would ever cut the lumps up enough to plant. The ground doesnt clod - after i gave it time to dry the clumps broke easily. But since it was all grass the buster basically created sheets of sod which are strong.

So what do you all think? would a disc even be able to cut this up enough? I think im leaning toward tiller, even though it means the demise of the worms, as I think the soil needs fluffing up. I plan on a large garden with many root veg and as it stands the roots veg wouldnt do well.

As an aside the land used to be corn field years ago. This house was built 17 years ago. so the ground hasnt been touched in at least that long aside from mowing.

 

[flusher]

yesterday i broke up a 100x50 (about) area with the yellow version of TSC's middlebuster on my BX1860. I was concerned about the fit but its perfect - in fact I am confused as to why an XB version even exists. The ground that is to become the garden was basically just part of the side lawn so its been mowed as such for 17+ years by the former owner - we just moved in a little over a year ago.

I cannot decide if I want to till or disc - not sure if a disc would even do it. The ground is teeming with worms but is still compacted pretty badly - i suppose from years of mowing and never being broken. On one hand id like to maintain the wormy environment but I dont think it is suitable for growing. Plus i dont know if a disc would ever cut the lumps up enough to plant. The ground doesnt clod - after i gave it time to dry the clumps broke easily. But since it was all grass the buster basically created sheets of sod which are strong.

So what do you all think? would a disc even be able to cut this up enough? I think im leaning toward tiller, even though it means the demise of the worms, as I think the soil needs fluffing up. I plan on a large garden with many root veg and as it stands the roots veg wouldnt do well.

As an aside the land used to be corn field years ago. This house was built 17 years ago. so the ground hasnt been touched in at least that long aside from mowing.

Till or disc? I've done it both ways--either one gets the job done (brake up the clods). I tow a drag (something heavy) behind the disc to level the soil.

Worms--the gardener's best friend. My 87 year old neighbor puts in a 1-acre veggie garden each year. He has a twin-axle dump trailer that he takes to the worm farm in Durham, CA and gets two loads of worm casings to work into the soil with his rototiller (he uses an Allis Chalmers 716 riding mower/rototiller combo). The secret to rototilling is to go slow (tractor in the lowest gear).

 

[nybirdman]

I don't think a disc(the size your tractor could pull) would do very well.Multiple passes with a tiller would be best.May want to look at cultivators;would take a lot of passes but should work and you would have the cultivators to use after the garden starts.The first year you break ground is the hardest,it will get better.Replow in the fall for next year.

 

[Gods Country]

How about some pics of your bx with middlebuster?

I'm curious what your ground clearance is.

I've been wanting to get one this year too.

 

[Don87]

While a few worms will be killed with a tiller, most will not. And the worms that are cut in half, behind the heart section, will grow new tails.

I should also add that worms feel vibrations, when that tiller starts beating the ground, the worms will go deeper underground.

If you can afford a tiller, it's the best thing to use. Get a tiller that will cover both tire tracks, it makes life much easier.

 

[Don87]

Interesting reading about worms: Worms - Frequently Asked Questions

 

[bp fick]

Looks very familiar. I pulled up an old photo of "virgin" sod mess I plowed up a year and half ago. However, I did it in fall!!! That gave the winter the freeze/thaw cycle to work on it.

Actually, you can disk or till, but I gotta just say, I'd honestly plow it again, It may look like it's plowed, but if memory serves, I re-plowed two weeks later, trying hard to be a "half a tractor" over from my previous "rows" and it worked very well to break it one more time. You'd never recognize that soddy mess now as it is perfect, soft and nice tilth.

As to the two "short" middle busters, I can only speculate that early on, a lot of subcuts, Kubota BX included, were sort of limited Cat 1 geometry. I know with the recent renditions, Kubota improved the geometry and it likely makes less difference now.

Great job, btw. Keep at it.

 

[mroe21877]

attached are pics with the middlebuster raised and engaged. I cant seem to get it to go more than a few inches. ground is a bit too moist. just barely holds together if a grab a handfull. now that its turned its drying nicely.

Im going to look for a tiller. good point about many growing back. I also noticed that the area i tilled first was without worms pretty quick so i think they went deep. plus the ride is plenty bumpy and going is slow. I can imagine the work it would take to disc till it was right.

If i can find a tiller nearby and not have to ship i think ill go that route and hit it again with the buster around friday after work.

 

[mroe21877]

forgot to mention - this was hit going length ways then 90 degrees and a few diagonal rides. the diagonal is an.... interesting ride.

 

[jimmyj]

Nice job and pictures. If you can afford a tiller you will use it for many years to come with a garden that large. Good luck.

 

[bp fick]

If you don't mind a little input, given with a good heart, you might rather make the shaft true vertical. To do that, lengthen your top link until it is true 90 degrees to the ground, when lowered. Given that these 'Bota's use 1/4" valving, it simply will work better for you and you won't be dragging it through the ground so much. Give it a try.

That sod will begin to rot down now and provide green manure. It'll take a bit, but stay with it. I don't have a disk or a tiller, (though I'd love to have both).
I just use the cultivator as a spring tooth C tine drag.

 

[mroe21877]

Yeah i messed with the top link all day. from vertical to fully shortened. at vertical the buster blade was actually nosed up a touch... not much but enough that it didnt want to dig it wanted to drag and then push the lift arms up. I noticed it wouldnt happen if i started where the arms could lower into an existing ditch and begin below soil level. Still have to play, er work, with it more. plus with the moisture in the ground the dirt packed in the support arms of the buster and tended to push it up. once the sod is broken up more i think it'll be fine. I guess a true plow would have avoided much of this but the buster was something like 140 and a plow is up towards 500.

I was just at TSC looking at that cultivator. I was thinking of using that but it seems like at this point anyway it would rake away much of what i ripped up without breaking it.

 

[radioman]

After seeing pics of your soil color and wetness- you are lucky its dry enough right now to even mess around playing in the dirt. I'd wait for few weeks for it to dry out. with the soil exposed, it will warm up and dry up faster. When you hit it again, it should fine easier to cultivate with middle buster and the aired out/dying vegatation soil will fall part easier thus making it smoother.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I would go over it a second time with the middle buster going across your original tilled ground. Basically, turn your tractor so you are driving over each bump, it will be rough but it will till the ground in another direction. For a tiller, i suggest getting one with a slip clutch. It is much better than replacing shear pins.

 

[bp fick]

After seeing pics of your soil color and wetness- you are lucky its dry enough right now to even mess around playing in the dirt. I'd wait for few weeks for it to dry out. with the soil exposed, it will warm up and dry up faster. When you hit it again, it should fine easier to cultivate with middle buster and the aired out/dying vegatation soil will fall part easier thus making it smoother.

What radioman said in spades.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Let that sod rot a bit and the whole thing dry out some. The second time will produce more tillage. Going to do the "inbetweens" furrows as I call it, is easier on the machine and your body than trying to go across. The BX only has so much ground clearance and going across would be really tough. But, whatever it takes.

 

[bp fick]

OK, found the "after" photo taken a month later. I hit that same patch again with the middle buster and the sod was now dead and the soil was nice and crumbling. It's amazing what a little time will do. I re-plowed in-between the former furrows.

All I did was hit with the cultivator and planted. No 3 pt tiller. No disk. (although I would love to have them.)

You've time, I suspect. Your target date for planting in your zone is, what April 10th? I hope all this is geeking you up.

 

[Kyle241]

Good timing! I was considering whether to get an MB however I wasn't sure a smaller tractor would do a good job. Well done! Keep us updated as to your next step whether it's till or disc or MB again. Would like to see the progress as you are at least a month a head of me due to your nice weather.

 

[mroe21877]

eastern Ontario huh? Any where near Casino Rama? I used to be up there a lot. Montreal too now that my fiance's family are ridiculously huge Habs fans.

 

[mroe21877]

i took another look at the buster in the barn on the concrete floor. i lowered it to just barely touching and to get the blade bottom level with the floor i had to keep the vertical shaft pitched in.... or the top link a little short. I thought it would have been designed so the shaft would have to be vertical for the blade to be level with the ground.

 

[sixdogs]

If you have clay soil the shovel you have will tend to compact it.
The solution is to change the shovel for a narrow cultivator shank in September and break through the hardpan.
Then go back to the shovel.